Nearly all Denver jail inmates in high-risk unit have brain trauma

[KamaAina]

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_27673196/nearly-all-denver-jail-inmates-high-risk-unit

They were punched in the head in fistfights — or shot, knocked around as children, beaten by spouses or struck by cars.

Almost every inmate in the downtown Denver jail's high-risk unit has a traumatic brain injury, so many that what began as a one-time university service learning project has grown into a new therapy program spreading to jails along the Front Range.

Neurological researchers from the University of Denver expected to find an above-average prevalence of brain trauma at the Downtown Detention Center. But the results were high enough to shock them.

Nearly every inmate screened — 96 percent — had a traumatic brain injury. That's significantly higher than national statistics showing from 67 percent to 80 percent of inmates in jails and prisons have a traumatic brain injury, and far higher than the estimated 6 percent to 8.5 percent of the general population.

I sincerely doubt this is unique to Denver.

[targetpractice]

1. Nearly Half Of All Jailed Youths In New York City Have Brain Injury

You're right... Here's a study from last year...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/18/study-half-of-jailed-nyc_n_5175209.html

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. A civilized country would treat these people, not jail them.

Or neglect them until they commit a crime.

But we don't have any money for that. How's that defense budget coming along, anyway?